Good, Better, Best

It's been a pretty good week here at ChezRanger. The good news?

The raised garden, our first attempt at something radical, is going great guns. The tomatoes are promising to delver a bumper crop and the basil is looking thick and healthy. Now, if only we could find out what sort of plant would grow fresh buffalo mozzarella we could really make this a caprese garden!

The better news?

Our neighbor-cat Matilda, or 'Puddin-cat' as her human calls her, still comes out for salads and takes her ease in the little lawn between our two places. She's a friendly, smart, personable beast and we're happy she knows us as friends.

The best news?

No. I'm not playing until you apologize. And take this blasted mousie off my head. Now.

That's right. We took Maddie to the vet on Thursday for her annual geriatric cat visit.

Seriously. I mean it. As God is my witness.

We'd hoped it would be an easier visit. We, at the vet's recommendation, had doubled the dose of diazapan (kitty valium) we give her before visits. Looked to be going well. Until we put her in the carrier. Until we got to the vet.

You would not believe the fuss and fight. You know the old adage about bringing a knife to a gunfight? Heck, all I need to do is bring this cat and I'm the winner of anything short of global thermonuclear war.

The vet, the sainted Dr. G., warned by Maddie's explosive hissing from the moment the doc entered the room, suggested that we might want to wait in the lobby, since some difficult cats did better if there humans weren't in the room. We walked out to the lobby and chatted with a lady whose cat was also in for a visit (and who was meowing loudly in the carrier at her feet). There were several conversations going on the the lobby as well.

AND WE COULD STILL HEAR MADDIE YOWLING AND SCREAMING AND SPITTING THROUGH THE CLOSED DOOR.

A wee bit disconcerting. And we knew the doc was only drawing blood. The exam took about 4 minutes. When we were called back in Maddie was in her (closed and secured) carrier and the (shaken, pale) assistants were on their way out. Dr. G told us there were no obvious problems, although she did not check Maddie's teeth, and when to call for the test results and we beat feet on home.

Turns out that Maddie is a very healthy cat! (this is the "best news" part) All her blood values are good and she obviously has lots of 'get up and claw'. We worked on assuaging Maddie's feelings with turkey and Laughing Cow spreadable cheese. And lots of apologies. We'd take her to the vet again, though, to get the sort of good results we got this time. With even more valium. And maybe some for us.